Outdoor
markets are typical in Germany and other countries of Europe. What is
very special are the indoor markets where you can not only browse for
fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, plants and a variety of
specialties like nuts and spices from exotic faraway lands, but where
you can talk to the vendors, sample the food and get advice on
preparation and many other questions. It’s a homey place and for many a
place to meet friends and stay for a quick snack or cup of coffee.
Frankfurt, Berlin, Stuttgart, all have these wonderful indoor market halls, all very
different, sometimes with other shops attached. Frankfurt’s
Klein-Markthalle in 2014 celebrated its 60th anniversary. Susanne Nielsen takes you there.

The Cultural Center invites you to its Spring events! Make your reservations now for the January 24th Meridian Bizou Luncheon! 813-254-5088

The Cultural Center for German Language invites you to its 2014 programs.

The Cultural Center offers monthly programs to its members, organizes events and group excursions to cultural venues such as museums, theaters with exhibitions, opera, music often paired with optional visits to European restaurants all in the spirit of sharing German, and German speaking heritage in a variety of cultural settings.

Shared events with other German-American organizations like the German American Society Pinellas, the German American Social Club of New Port Richey, the German American Society of Florida and the Richard Wagner Society and events from opera, classical concerts to the celebration of German folk culture and traditions during Mayfests, German Heritage fests and Oktoberfests may be found in the Cultural Center’s program.

The Cultural Center offers German tutoring by professional instructors. It is a German cultural and informational resource for those interested in learning and keeping fluent ones German language skills. Please contact Susanne Nielsen at 813-254-5088

All events of the Cultural Center are announced regularly on the German Radio Show, www.germanradioshow.com , (top left button: audio/blog). Read/hear and see a new show every Sunday, with archived shows on www.germanradioshow.blogspot.com

Membership to the Cultural Center for German Language is 25.- Individual and 35.- for a family per year.

For information, please call President Susanne Nielsen at 813-254-5088

Please join us for German church services every 4th Sunday of the month at the Grace Lutheran Church at 1812 North Highland Avenue in Clearwater,please call Trudy Mohrman inEnglish or German for details ( 813-884-9139).

Healthy German Breads is a second generation business, based on the North Shore of Massachusetts. As the sole importers of Genuine Bavarian and Hummlinger brand breads, we have proudly been providing a healthy alternative for cleaner eating.

Organic Breads - Our organic breads are made using only the finest and purest organic ingredients and is completely GMO free. This line is derrived from three basic ingredients of rye, mountain spring water, and salt.

Gluten Free - The gluten-free bread line is baked in a separate building to avoid contamination and ensure the gluten-free purity. The primary ingredient of the gluten-free bread is rice.

Yeast Free - Because simple, natural products are better for you, we have an assortment of yeast-free breads, each with its own distinctive flavor.

These breads are highest quality, made from organically grown ingredients and imported directly from the bakers in Germany. They are shelf stable, and need no refrigeration/freezing before opening.

- In 1571, we see the birth of astronomer Johannes Keppler. He rejected the idea that the stars and planets influenced human lives, and developed the idea that planets revolved around the sun. During the witch hunt of 1620, he was able to use his influence to save his mother, who was accused of witchcraft, from torture and death.

- In 1868, we see the birth of Emanuel Lasker. He was the world chess champion for 1894 to 1920.

- In 1889, we see the birth of F.W. Murnau in Bielefeld, Germany. He was one of the giants of early German film making.

- In 1929, we see the death of Wilhelm Mabach, chief designer of the first Mercedes automobile.

- In 1946, Albert Einstein presents his theory of gravitation.

- And in 1985, a terrorist attack in Vienna's airport kills three and injurs thirty at the EL-AL counter.

This segment is sponsored by DnDMusic in New Port Richey, Florida and produced by Bill Davidson

Opening the Sarasota Opera Winter Festival Season on Saturday, February 7th will be Tosca, Giacomo Puccini's powerful melodramma about a tempestuous diva whose jealousy leads to tragedy. Two of Sarasota Opera's favorite artists will return to reprise their respective roles from 2009. Soprano Kara Shay Thomson (Vanessa, Cavalleria rusticana) returns as the volatile opera singer, and tenor Rafael Dávila (Otello, I Lombard alla prima crociatai) returns as her lover Cavaradossi. The role of Scarpia will be shared by two of opera's leading baritones today. Baritone Mark Walters (Die Fledermaus, Lakmé), described by Opera News as "a force to be reckoned with," will sing all performances through March 22nd; baritone Todd Thomas, who has sung more than 50 performances with Sarasota Opera including Scarpia in 2009, will sing the final two performances. Maestro Victor DeRenzi will conduct and Martha Collins will direct.

The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Sung in Italian with English supertitles

February 14, 17, 19, 22m, 25

March 10m, 13, 20, 27

A Sarasota Opera production

On Valentines Day, Saturday, February 14th, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's masterpiece The Marriage of Figaro will return to the Sarasota Opera stage. In her efforts to thwart the lecherous advances of the Count Almaviva, Susanna and her fiancée Figaro join the Countess Almaviva, to outwit the countess’ husband. Making their Sarasota Opera debuts this season, soprano Maeve Höglund will sing the role of Susanna and Uruguayan soprano María Antúnez will sing Countess Almaviva. Baritone Philip Cutlip (Hansel and Gretel) returns to sing the role of her betrothed Figaro and Sarasota Opera veteran baritone Sean Anderson (Die Fledermaus, Of Mice and Men) will return as Susanna's pursuer Count Almaviva.

Stage Director Allison Grant (The Magic Flute), will return to direct and Maestro Marcello Cormio (The Barber of Seville) will conduct.

The Golden Cockerel by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Sarasota Opera Premiere

Sung in Russian with English supertitles

February 21, 24 and March 8m, 11, 14m, 19

A Sarasota Opera premiere

Saturday, February 21st, will be the Sarasota premiere of The Golden Cockerel by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Based on a story by Pushkin, The Golden Cockerel is the tale of the bumbling King Dodon who enlists the help of a magical Golden Cockerel to protect his country from attack. However, when the King is seduced by the alluring Queen Shemakha, both he and his country meet an unhappy end. Once a favorite show piece for coloratura sopranos like Lily Pons and Beverly Sills, this rarely heard masterpiece by the composer of Scheherazade is a fairy tale filled with exotic and beautiful music such as the famous aria "Hymn to the Sun."

Russian bass Grigory Soloviov will make his Sarasota Opera debut as King Dodon and stage director Tom Diamond (The Flying Dutchman), will direct. Additional casting TBA.

Don Carlosby Giuseppe Verdi

Sung in French with English supertitles

March 7, 12, 15m, 18, 21m, 24

Sarasota Opera Premiere/Verdi Cycle Opera

In the penultimate year of it's acclaimed Verdi Cycle, Sarasota Opera will present Verdi's epic Don Carlos in the original Paris version which premiered in 1867. Sarasota Opera previously performed the revised four-act La Scala version in 2009. Verdi's powerful drama recounts the ill-fated attraction between Don Carlos and Elisabeth, the wife of his father, King Philip of Spain. Set in Renaissance Spain dominated by the inquisition, this powerful drama is one of opera’s great masterpieces.

Soprano Michelle Johnson, whose career trajectory has taken off since winning the 2011 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, will make her Sarasota Opera debut as Élisabeth de Valois. Returning artists include tenor Jonathan Burton (Turandot) who sings the title role of Don Carlos and mezzo-soprano Mary Phillips (Ariadne auf Naxos, The Tales of Hoffmann) who will sing the role of Eboli. Reprising their roles from the 2009 four-act La Scala version of Don Carlos, bass-baritone Kevin Short (The Flying Dutchman, A King for a Day) will sing King Philippe II and baritone Marco Nisticò (The Barber of Seville, Rigoletto) sings the role of Rodrigue. MaestroVictor DeRenzi will conduct and Stephanie Sundine will direct.

Subscriptions for the 2014-2015 Season are available now. Single tickets go on sale online on Friday August 1 and at the Sarasota Opera Box Office on Tuesday, September 2nd, 2014. For more information or to secure your subscription for the 2014/2014 season, contact the Sarasota Opera Box Office at (941) 328-1300 or visit in person at 61 N. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236.

ABOUT SARASOTA OPERA

Based in Florida’s beautiful Gulf Coast, Sarasota Opera is approaching its 55th consecutive season. In 1960, the company began presenting chamber-sized repertoire in the historic 320-seat Asolo Theater on the grounds of Sarasota’s Ringling Museum of Art. Recognizing the need for a theater more conducive to opera, the company purchased the former A.B. Edwards Theater in downtown Sarasota in 1979 and first performing in it in 1984 as the Sarasota Opera House. The theater has just undergone a $20-million renovation and rehabilitation enhancing audience amenities, while updating the technical facilities including increasing the size of the orchestra pit. The theater, which reopened in March 2008, has been called “one of America’s finest venues for opera” by Musical America.

Since 1983 the company has been under the artistic leadership of Victor DeRenzi. Since then the company has garnered international attention with its Masterwork Revivals Series, which presents neglected works of artistic merit, as well as the Verdi Cycle producing the complete works of Giuseppe Verdi. Recognizing the importance of training, Maestro DeRenzi founded the Apprentice Artist and Studio Artist programs. Sarasota Opera also maintains a commitment to education through its Invitation to Opera performances for local schools and the unique Sarasota Youth Opera program.

Sarasota Opera is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Programs are supported in part by an award the Tourist Development Tax through the Board of County Commissioners, the Tourist Development Council and the Sarasota County Arts Council. Additional funding is provided by the City of Sarasota and the County of Sarasota.

ST. PETERSBURG, FL – June 24, 2014– The Florida Orchestra (TFO) has announced the appointment of Michael Francis as its new Music Director starting with the 2015/2016 season, serving as Music Director Designate for the upcoming 2014/2015 season. Appointed as part of an initial three-year contract, his duties include being the primary conductor and providing the artistic leadership for concert programming and related artistic decisions. Although his primary role is with the Tampa Bay Times Masterworks series, he will also be conducting one concert each season for the Raymond James Pops and the morning Coffee Concert series. This reflects Francis’ personal desire to be fully-integrated artistically with the orchestra and the organization.

As the search process continues for TFO’s next music director, an extraordinary array of conductors will lead the orchestra next season, including these TFO debuts: Roberto Abbado, the former chief conductor of the Munich Radio Orchestra and artistic partner to the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra,and Bulgarian Danail Rachev, music director of the Eugene Symphony in Oregon. In addition, there are nine returning guest conductors on the Masterworks series. These include the music director of both the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Sinfonietta Mei-Ann Chen; chief conductor and artistic advisor to Sweden’s Norrköping Symphony OrchestraMichael Francis; music director of the New West Symphony Orchestra in Los Angeles and associate conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra Marcelo Lehninger;associate conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra Cristian Macelaru; former music director of the Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy in France Tito Muñoz; music director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Larry Rachleff; former music director of the Seattle Symphony Gerard Schwarz; associate conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Perry So; and assistant conductor of the New York PhilharmonicJoshua Weilerstein.

Under the leadership of music and artistic director James Bass, The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay will join the orchestra for three masterworks programs on the 2014/2015 season: Orff’s Carmina Burana and Faure’s Requiem. In addition,the women’s chorus of The Master Chorale will perform for Holst’s The Planets. A highly select, 150-voice, all-volunteer chorus of singers from the entire Tampa Bay area, The Master Chorale has performed and premiered many symphonic choral works under the direction of Stefan Sanderling, Jahja Ling, Robert Shaw, John Nelson, Julius Rudel, founding music director emeritus Robert Summer and Jo-Michael Schiebe. The chorale has also performed abroad at London’s Westminster Cathedral and King’s College Chapel in Cambridge, among other locales. Designated in 1989 as the principal chorus of TFO, some of its most recent performances with the orchestra include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Delius’s Sea Drift and Appalachia (recorded live in concert on the Naxos label in 2012), Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, Dvorak’s Requiem, Schubert’s Mass No. 6, Verdi’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Elija, Haydn’s The Creation and Mahler’s second and third symphonies. The Chorale will also perform Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé in the full ballet score version to close the orchestra’s 2013/14 season.

MUSIC AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JAMES BASS: Dr. James K. Bass, Grammy-nominated singer and conductor, is the director of choral studies in the School of Music at the University of South Florida (USF) and the artistic and music director of The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. At USF, he conducts the University Chamber Singers, Collegium and the Collegiate Singers, in addition to teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in choral conducting, philosophy, and literature. Previously, he was on the faculty at Western Michigan University and the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Bass received the doctor of musical arts degree from the University of Miami–Florida, where he was a doctoral fellow. He received his Master of Music and Bachelor of Science degrees from USF and is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy.

Bass was selected by the master conductor of the Amsterdam Baroque Soloists, Ton Koopman, to be one of only 20 singers for a presentation of Cantatas by J.S. Bach in Carnegie Hall, and was an auditioned member of Robert Shaw’s workshop choir at Carnegie Hall. He is one of 13 singers on the Grammy-nominated disc A Seraphic Fire Christmas. Bass is an active bass soloist and has performed at Winchester Cathedral in London, has sung three world-premieres of large works, and appears on CD recordings on the Albany and Seraphic Fire Media label. As a bass soloist, he has appeared with the New World Symphony under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas, as well as with TFO, Grand Rapids Symphony, Back Bay Chorale and Orchestra, and Firebird Chamber orchestra.

Bass is a bass member and chorus master for Seraphic Fire, the Miami-based professional choir, and was appointed choirmaster for the Classical Music Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria. During the summer of 2011, he co-founded the Professional Choral Institute at the University of South Florida. In its inaugural year of recording, Seraphic Fire and PCI received the Grammy nomination for Best Choral performance for their recording of Johannes Brahms' Ein Deuthches Requiem. He has prepared choirs for Sir Colin Davis, Sir David Willcocks, Jahja Ling, Michael Tilson Thomas, Stefan Sanderling, Markus Huber and Robert Shaw. Bass has served on the Executive Board of the American Choral Directors Association Central Division as College Repertoire and Standards chairperson. His professional affiliations include the American Choral Directors Association, Music Educators National Conference, American Symphony Orchestra League, Pi Kappa Lambda national music honor society, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity.

Nine Florida Orchestra Premieres

In addition to the many familiar works being offered, next season’s Masterworks series includes ten TFO premieres, which include four works by American composers: John Adams’ Lollapalooza, Charles Ives’ Central Park in the Dark, Adam Schoenberg’s Canto, and Barber’s Mutations from Bach for Brass and Timpani. Additional TFO premieres includeThomas Adès’ Three Studies from Couperin, Richard Strauss’ Horn Concerto No. 2, Haydn’s Symphony No. 98, Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Tsar’s Bride Overtureand Maurice Ravel’s Ma Mère l’Oye (Mother Goose) complete ballet score.

What awaits you next:

7) Faure’s Requiem – Feb. 7 , 8, 2015

The chief conductor and artistic advisor to Sweden’s Norrköping Symphony Orchestra,Michael Francis will lead TFO in a second engagement during the 2014/2015 season that showcases The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay in Faure’s Requiem with soprano Lauren Snouffer and baritone Sean Plumb. This French-themed concert also includes Henri Dutilleux’s virtuosic piece Métaboles and the TFO premiere of Maurice Ravel’s Ma Mère L’Oye (Mother Goose) in the complete ballet score version.

8) Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 – Feb 20, 21 , 22, 2015

French pianist Pascal Rogé will be the soloist with the orchestra in Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 under the baton of Perry So, the associate conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic. The concert will open with Wagner’s Overture to Tannhäuser and conclude withBeethoven’s Symphony No. 4.

9) Mozart & Brahms – Feb. 27, 28 , Mar. 1, 2015

In his second engagement on the upcoming season, New York Philharmonic assistant conductor Joshua Weilerstein leads TFO with Karen Gomyo as the soloist in Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5, “Turkish.” Other works on the program include Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 and the TFO premiere of Thomas Adès’ Three Studies from Couperin.

10) Stravinsky, Haydn & Ravel - Mar. 14 ,15, 2015

Associate conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra Cristian Macelaru returns to conduct TFO in a program featuring Stravinsky’s Petrushka (1947) together with Ravel’s La Valse and the TFO premiere of Haydn’s Symphony No. 98.

11) Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 – Mar. 20, 21 ,22, 2015

Associate conductor of The Philadelphia Orchestra Cristian Macelaru conducts a second program back-to-back with TFO on the upcoming season, which opens with Richard Strauss’ Serenade for Winds and is followed by Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 featuring the TFO debut of young soprano Talise Trevigne. The concert concludes with one of Mahler’s most lyrical works, Symphony No. 4.

12) Scheherazade – Apr. 17, 18, 19, 2015

Music director of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Sinfonietta, Mei-Ann Chen will conduct TFO with featured soloist Jeremy Denk in his TFO debut performing Bartok’s Piano

Music director of the New West Symphony Orchestra in Los Angeles and the associate conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Marcelo Lehninger returns to conduct TFO and the women’s chorus of The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay in Holst’s The Planets. The concert opens with Barber’s TheSchool for Scandal Overture and also features TFO principal bassoon Anthony Georgeson in Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto.

14) Beethoven and Sibelius – May 29 ,30, 2015

Music director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic, Larry Rachleff brings the2014/2015 season to a close conducting TFO in a program of Rossini’s Overture to Semiramide, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 and Sibelius’ monumental Symphony No. 5.

Pre-Concert Conversations

All of the Tampa Bay Times Masterworks concerts offer pre-concert conversations in each hall beginning one hour before curtain time. To provide audience members with a more enjoyable concert experience, guest conductors and artists discuss the personalities and circumstances behind the music as well as share fun and informative insights and anecdotes related to each program.

Tickets: Continued Dedication to Accessibility

At the onset of the 2011/2012 season, TFO announced a bold, mission-based accessibility initiative and lowered ticket prices for all Masterworks and Pops series concerts, simplified series packaging and diversified programming so that more people in Tampa Bay might enjoy live symphonic music. Announcing a price freeze, the orchestra will continue to offer the same affordable prices this season. Individual concert tickets for all Masterworks and Pops Series remain at $15, $30 and $45 per ticket. Other concert series ticket prices will also remain the same: Coffee Series concerts are priced from $24 to $42 each, and Rock Series concerts are priced at $35, $55 and $75 each. Venue facility fees apply to all purchases. Some restrictions apply.

TFO also offers a “Compose Your Own” Series whereby subscribers can create customized packages by mixing and matching any combination of Masterworks and Pops concerts for just $25 per ticket. A minimum of three concerts is required and good seats are made available on a first-come, first-served basis. Fixed package benefits do not apply.

Subscriptions are on sale now. For information on the 2014/2015 season, call the TFO Ticket Center at 727.892.3337 or 800.662.7286 Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or purchase online at www.floridaorchestra.org. Single tickets will go on sale in August.

Performing nearly 100 concerts annually in the tri-city area of Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg, The Florida Orchestra is recognized as Tampa Bay's leading performing arts institution, one of the leading professional symphony orchestras in Florida, and one of the most vibrant orchestras in the United States. With live performances including the Tampa Bay Times Masterworks, Raymond James Pops, Coffee Concerts, Duke Energy Morning Masterworks, new Rock Concert series, as well as Youth Concerts and Free Pops in the Park Concerts, The Florida Orchestra offers a vast scope of concerts each year. The mission of The Florida Orchestra is to enrich the life of the Tampa Bay area as it inspires, entertains and educates a wide and diverse audience with the unique experience of live symphonic music, ensuring that future generations will continue to enjoy this legacy that so magnificently celebrates the human spirit.